title: Genetic vaccination targeting T-cell receptors.
abstract: T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes (which consist of variable (V), diversity (D), joining (J) and constant (C) segments) undergo rearrangement during T-cell development and result in the expression of a disulfide linked heterodimer (α and ß chains) on the surface of mature T-cells (1,2). The TCR confers specificity to each T-cell for antigen recognition (in the context of major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules (1,3). Clonal TCR-ß chain gene rearrangements have been demonstrated in DNA samples derived from cutaneous tumors, peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymph nodes of patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL) (4-6). Together with immunohistologic data (7), these findings indicate that CTCL is a clonal disease of malignant T cells that express α/ß-TCR.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Godillot
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pachuk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lessin
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Williams